The UK Government has completely stopped state funding for China-sponsored Confucius Institutes in the country amid concerns about possible Chinese influence, the Telegraph newspaper reported, citing the UK Department for Education.
In the spring of 2023, the Financial Times reported citing a statement from the British government that the authorities had decided to abandon their previous plans to close Confucius Institutes, despite former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s election promise to stop the operation of these centers.
The publication cited a spokesperson of the prime minister’s office, who said that measures were being taken to stop all state funding for Confucius Institutes in the UK, but that closing them was too much for now.
The measures to suspend subsidies to Confucius Institutes have now been completed, meaning that Confucius Institutes no longer receive funding from the UK Government,” the newspaper explained.
There are currently 30 Confucius Institutes operating in the country. The publication noted that the question of whether to close these educational centers remained open amid growing concerns about Chinese influence on British universities.
As the Chancellor of Oxford University and former and the last Governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten told the newspaper, the UK allegedly had evidence that some of the Confucius Institutes were trying to influence what was happening at universities. However, he did not specify in what way.
Confucius Institutes are a network of international cultural and educational centres for the spread of Chinese culture.
